THE Conservative Party have taken a two-point lead over Labour in the latest poll since Kemi Badenoch became leader.
The survey by More In Common showed Conservatives on 29% of the Westminster vote, and Labour trailing behind on 27%. It is the highest rating for the Conservatives since February.
The latest poll shows an opinion reversal on the General Election result, when Labour won a landslide victory of a 174-seat majority on 34% of the vote.
More in Common director Luke Tyrl shared on social media that his "main takeaway is continuing unhappiness with status quo system as much as any party".
Starmer has failed to have much of a honeymoon period, with public trust steadily dropping after the party U-turned on multiple pledges, including the controversy over the decision to scrap the Winter Fuel Payment for all but the poorest pensioners, and raise tuition fees in England.
The Prime Minister has a net favourability rating of minus 26, with 52% of Britons disapproving of his leadership, according to pollsters.
An Ipsos Mori poll before he was elected indicating that his net approval score of minus 19 was the worst it had ever recorded for a Leader of the Opposition entering Number 10.
Badenoch has benefitted from the decline in Labour's support as she entered the leadership role, however Tryl cautioned “at this stage people are not that familiar” with Badenoch, as the poll also showed only one in three are aware of her.
He added: “As that familiarity figure grows, the early first impressions she makes as leader of the opposition will be key to setting the course of her leadership."
Elsewhere in the poll, Reform UK gained one point – up from 18% at the beginning of November – and the Liberal Democrats fell from 14% to 11%. The Greens polled at 8% and the SNP at 2% in the UK-wide survey.
